Uncharted territory.

Having had three babies in less than four years, I felt like we had dealt with all of the dilemmas and situations, until Piper threw a curve ball at me. She never really got back into her bedtime groove after she and Dave had gone to Vermont, but I was determined to get things back in line on a Friday evening when Dave was on call. After giving her plenty of time to situate herself, she would not calm down. I heard some activity long after bedtime and assumed it was Sully or Greta making their way to my bed. Much to my surprise, when I walked upstairs I could hear her crying plain as day. Turns out she had climbed out of her crib and had been crying at her door. I was in disbelief and denial as she was barely 19 months old. I immediately put her back in her crib and told her it was time for bed and within two minutes of walking out of her room, she did it again! The third time, I watched her on the monitor. I had stripped her bed of everything except her blankets. She strategically threw both of her blankets out and tossed her leg over, and then the other, then teetered on the edge before dropping to the floor. She had it mastered in no time. I sent a desperate text to Maggie and Dave begging for a solution. Maggie was fast to reply and told me to put her mattress on the floor, so that's what I did. She was not thrilled when I left, but my saving grace was that she isn't tall enough to reach the door handle, yet. She eventually made her way to her mattress and stayed put for the rest of the night. 

I made the decision a couple of days later to just take the crib down, its inevitable it has to happen eventually. We currently have a twin mattress on her floor and are working on a new bed/nap routine. As you could imagine, it has made things more complicated, but it is getting better. 

It was slightly bittersweet to take the crib down, our first time in 5 years (almost to the day) to not have one in use. But I feel good about it. She is still the sweetest cuddler. When I rock her, she whispers 'shhh shhh Piper' and it melts my heart. Often when I'm lying with her on her floor, she will rub my arm or back. She is definitely our icing on the cake, I just can't believe how fast she is growing up. 

The first night.

In her comfort zone. 

Taking the crib down. 

Big girl bed. 

Seriously, so grown up. 

Sweet baby girl.